| 摘要 |
<p>An optical switching device with switch elements (224) similar to digital micromirror devices (DMD). The switching element (224) resides in a trench (216) between two elevated areas on the substrate (214a, 214b). Sending and receiving fibers (218a, 218b) face each other across the trench (216) with the switch element (224) between them. When the switch is ON, light travels through lenses (220a, 220b) in the trench (216) from one fiber (218b) to the other (218a). When the switch is flipped OFF, the element (224) is activated and blocks the light from the sending fiber (218b) by reflecting or absorbing the light from the sending fiber (218b). The switch is activated and possibly deactivated by addressing electrodes (226a, 226b) under the element (224), which deflects through an air gap towards the activated electrode (226b). For better deflection angles the posts can be arranged closer to one end of the element than the other. An alternate hinge architecture is also provided.</p> |
